Raceland teen remembered as a 'good boy'

Published: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 10:47 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, April 27, 2013 at 10:47 p.m.

A 17-year-old bicyclist struck and killed by a pickup Friday night was a student at Central Lafourche High who loved to play sports, a family friend said Saturday.

Serge Sumano Ortega, of Raceland, was riding south on an unlit section of La. 308 when a Ford F-150 hit him from behind about 8 p.m., State Police said. Ortega flew off his bike, onto the road, where the driver hit him again.

The driver, Andre Leblanc, 48, of Raceland, was not injured, police said. He agreed to a breath test, and police said he was not driving drunk.

Ortega was pronounced dead at the scene, just north of Raceland Junior High near the Alidore community, State Police said.

The teen did not have any illuminated devices on his bike, according to Troop C in Gray. As in all fatal crashes, officials will test Ortega’s blood to determine if he was intoxicated. Those results are pending, and the crash remains under investigation.

Ortega was born in Mexico but has lived in Louisiana for at least seven years, said his father’s friend Antoio Brito.

Ortega lived with his father along La. 182 in Raceland. He was his only child living with him in Louisiana, Brito said.

“He was a good boy,” Brito said.

Ortega loved sports, including American football. Brito met the teen by playing soccer with him.

Ortega, who didn’t have a car, rode his bike everywhere, Brito said.

Michael Comardelle, 56, didn’t know Ortega but lives off La. 308 and often rides his bicycle along the highway, which runs along Bayou Lafourche. It would be dangerous to ride a bike where Ortega did on La. 308 because there’s no sidewalk, Comardelle said.

“A lot of people don’t respect you on the bike,” he said. “A lot of people don’t understand. They see a bicyclist on the road, and they think they’re not supposed to be there.”

<p>A 17-year-old bicyclist struck and killed by a pickup Friday night was a student at Central Lafourche High who loved to play sports, a family friend said Saturday.</p><p>Serge Sumano Ortega, of Raceland, was riding south on an unlit section of La. 308 when a Ford F-150 hit him from behind about 8 p.m., State Police said. Ortega flew off his bike, onto the road, where the driver hit him again.</p><p>The driver, Andre Leblanc, 48, of Raceland, was not injured, police said. He agreed to a breath test, and police said he was not driving drunk.</p><p>Ortega was pronounced dead at the scene, just north of Raceland Junior High near the Alidore community, State Police said. </p><p>The teen did not have any illuminated devices on his bike, according to Troop C in Gray. As in all fatal crashes, officials will test Ortega's blood to determine if he was intoxicated. Those results are pending, and the crash remains under investigation.</p><p>Ortega was born in Mexico but has lived in Louisiana for at least seven years, said his father's friend Antoio Brito.</p><p>Ortega lived with his father along La. 182 in Raceland. He was his only child living with him in Louisiana, Brito said.</p><p>“He was a good boy,” Brito said.</p><p>Ortega loved sports, including American football. Brito met the teen by playing soccer with him.</p><p>Ortega, who didn't have a car, rode his bike everywhere, Brito said.</p><p>Michael Comardelle, 56, didn't know Ortega but lives off La. 308 and often rides his bicycle along the highway, which runs along Bayou Lafourche. It would be dangerous to ride a bike where Ortega did on La. 308 because there's no sidewalk, Comardelle said.</p><p>“A lot of people don't respect you on the bike,” he said. “A lot of people don't understand. They see a bicyclist on the road, and they think they're not supposed to be there.”</p>